If you’ve been waiting for a last-minute miracle—an extension on your Income Tax Return (ITR) filing—we have to break the news to you. The Income Tax Department has been very clear: the deadline for this year has not been extended and remains firmly on September 15, 2025.
The due date was already extended once from the usual July 31 to mid-September, mainly because of changes in the ITR forms and backend system updates. However, despite the requests from various tax professionals and taxpayer associations, the department has confirmed that this is the final date.
Social media has been buzzing with rumors and fake news about another extension, with some posts claiming the date has been pushed to September 30. The Income Tax Department has actively dismissed these claims on its official social media handles, urging taxpayers to only trust official updates.
Still, the push for an extension is strong. Tax bodies like the Chandigarh Chartered Accountants Taxation Association and others have been pointing out technical glitches on the e-filing portal, data mismatches in tax statements, and the compressed filing window. Many taxpayers are also complaining about server issues and slow uploads, especially as the deadline approaches and the website gets slammed with traffic. The department, however, maintains that the portal is working fine and that the helpdesk is available 24/7 to assist.
So the next question is what happens if you miss the deadline?
if you don’t make it by the due date, don’t panic, but be ready for some consequences. You can still file a “belated” return until December 31, 2025. But you will have to pay a penalty:
- A late fee of ₹5,000 for incomes over ₹5 lakh.
- A smaller fee of ₹1,000 for incomes up to ₹5 lakh.
And it gets worse. You might also have to pay a 1% monthly interest on any unpaid tax you owe. Plus, by filing late, you lose out on some key benefits. You can’t carry forward certain losses from previous years, and you lose the option to switch to the old tax regime if you’re a salaried person with no business income.
The message is clear: It’s best to file on time to avoid penalties and complications. So, if you haven’t filed yet, the clock is ticking.
